Deliver Us from Ava
by Oh-no-she-di'ent
Summary: For season 2 of the CWS ficathon. Episode: Like Mother, Like Daughter. Booster club member, Ava, has a thing for Luke. How will that affect LL? Good question. Story’s complete. Just rated for language.


_**Disclaimer: **_This show is bad ass, but unfortunately someone else gets the credit and glory. Not me.

I have some news. I found S7 on Amazon for like 15 bucks, and I...bought it! I'm so ashamed!!! That thing will probably be sitting here a year from now unopened in all honesty. S6 was given to me last year by a friend/ co-worker, so I now have the complete set. I don't mind S6 too much, but S7 is a whoooole different ballgame. I thought I'd be up front with you guys about my purchase. Let me know if this knocks me from the fan club.

On to the story!!

This is for the CWS ficathon, season 2. I was assigned the episode: Like Mother, Like Daughter. I twisted and molded this baby to my liking. And that's what you all get to read. Enjoy the story.

**Deliver Us from Ava**

The portly fellow with the tool belt looked professional enough. His tool belt, alone, was made to show that. Still, Lorelai approached him with doubt. She was sure the stage that he worked on was supposed to be much more leveled than it appeared to be.

She smiled politely. "Hey! How's it coming?" she asked, kneeling next to him.

"Workin' on it," was his curt response.

She got straight to the point. "This can not tilt."

"I know this."

"Women in heels will be walking on it. Make it not tilt."

With that, she stood up and walked away with a sigh. She'd gotten rooked into joining Chilton's Booster club. The damn _Booster Club_. First there was talk of matching sweat shirts, which was wrong on so many different levels. Then to make matters worse, she had agreed to arrange a charity fashion show which she was forced to participate in. As she conversed with Sookie about lettuce soup, her focus went back to the tool belt wearing professional.

He looked confused. And she wondered why he didn't just stand up and let someone know that the task was beyond his abilities instead of sitting there looking so confused.

Lorelai wrapped up her conversation with Sookie and looked longingly at the inn's entrance.

Before the sad look of perplexity appeared on the professional's face, she had gone with her instincts and called Luke.

Luke knew what he was doing. He rarely wore looks of confusion when working with tools. Problem was, Luke couldn't get away right then. He said he'd be by as soon as he could, though. This was _after _she spent long, pitiful minutes whining into the receiver.

That was half an hour ago, and there was still no Luke.

Ava, the head booster, arrived and was directed into the back to begin getting ready. She grimaced at the stage as she passed by it, and Lorelai assured her that it was a work in progress, and all would be fixed by the time the show began. There was a smile offered by Ava, but her uneasiness is what showed to Lorelai.

"Ye of little faith, make room for one more," she muttered to herself as Ava disappeared and her eyes went back to the guy.

Next to arrive was Emily. She and Lorelai headed into the back also to get dressed for the event. They were each handed their clothes. Both ensembles were tacky, but what appeared odd was that the outfits had the _exact same _tackiness. Apparently they were to walk out as a mother/daughter team.

The day continued to get better.

Luke was still nowhere to be seen when Lorelai finished dressing. She slipped on a robe and went into the main room, which was quickly filling with spectators. She stopped near the stage, and even though it was now at an appropriate level, she still searched for Luke.

The man stood up with a heavy sigh and stuck a hammer back in his belt.

"There ya go," he said.

Lorelai looked down at the stage then back at him with a shaky smile. "Hey, what's your name?" she asked.

"Chuck."

She fidgeted with her earring. "Okay, Chuck...um, this stage is going to--"

"Have women in heels walking on it. I remember."

Lorelai appeared annoyed at the interruption. Still, she smiled. "Yes, exactly. Gold star for you." She pointed downward. "So, it's stable?"

"It's stable," he answered with little reassurance.

"Able to support...weight?"

"No."

Her eyes went wide. "What?"

"Kidding." He didn't crack a smile or alter his flat tone. "It can support weight."

"That wasn't funny."

"Yeah, I kinda got that by the lack of laughter."

"Chuck?"

"Yeah."

"You and I are not on the same page right now. I need us to get on the same page."

"Okay."

"The page I'm on has no jokes."

"Okay."

"It has no uncertainty."

"Mmhm."

"It has lots and lots of skill to get a stage flat and...working."

"I see the page."

"Okay. But are you _on _the page?"

"I'm on the page."

"How do I know you're on the page?"

He folded his arms. "Look down."

Lorelai looked at him for a few seconds before her eyes went down to his work. "Okay...?"

"What do you see?"

"I'm looking for my patience but it seems to have disappeared. To the left, I see a stage."

"Does it look flat and unfunny?"

She rolled her eyes back to him. "It looks shaky and done by someone who has yet to prove his work to his customer."

His pager went off, and he pulled it from its holder on his side. With a quick glance at it, he smiled like a good businessman. "Alright, well that's my time. I hope you have a wonderful evening, ma'am."

"But--"

"And nice pattern. My grandmother has a tablecloth just like it," he said gesturing to her clothes through the open robe. Lorelai quickly closed the robe and glared at him. He turned and walked away after assuring her that his bill would arrive in the following days.

Lorelai looked down at herself with a pout then at his retreating back. "It's for charity you know! It's not mine; I wouldn't be caught dead in this get-up! And don't call me ma'am, you Tim-the-Toolman-_Faker_!"

Rolling her eyes away from him, she looked into the faces of several women who sat staring up at her.

A bright smile appeared. "Afternoon, ladies. Just a few more minutes, and we'll be starting, okay?" she said kindly. "Can I get anybody anything?"

--

Lorelai held her breath as Cyndi Lauper's song kicked in on the sound system. The fashion show was beginning, and Luke still had not shown up. She'd gotten a call from him minutes ago, and he said that he'd gotten held up but was on his way. Lorelai complained for as long as she was able to before she had to hang up to finish getting ready. There was little that Luke could do now that the show was underway, so he got an earful of _what-ifs _and _still come just in case_...

When they hung up from one another, he hopped in his truck and drove.

_I come home in the mornin' light..._

As Lorelai listened to the beginning lyrics of the song, she tried to relax. Chuck said the stage was fine, and despite all of the misgivings she had about his work and him, in general, she worked on calming herself down enough to trust his expertise.

_...my mother says..._

She took a breath that her entire body appreciated. " _...'when you gonna live your life right?'_ " she sang quietly. The song was one of her teenage favorites, and she smiled as it really began to relax her. Her fingertips tapped the sides of her ugly, long, shapeless dress. " _'Oh mommy dear...'_ "

It didn't take long at all for her little bubble to burst.

Cyndi's voice was suddenly outdone by a shrill scream, a loud crash, and additional screams from more people. Gasps and talking could be heard as the music was immediately shut off. Lorelai pushed past a couple of the models and hurried to the stage.

"What on earth...?" she heard her mother exclaim from the other side of the stage as she came rushing out as well.

Lorelai's jaw dropped as she took in the scene. "Oh my god! What happened?" she asked, in shock. She made her way over to the huddle of people.

Ava was on the floor. On top of Luke. Her back was to his front. And he was lying awkwardly on a turned-over chair. The stage was at a slant--dipped low on one end and leveled everywhere else. Lorelai scudded to the edge of the stage and hopped off of it, realizing she could be next to take a face dive into the audience.

"What happened?" she asked again, panic in her tone.

Ava leaned forward and grasped her ankle. "My ankle! I think I broke my ankle!" Her tone was high and panicked, and her body moved and squirmed around on Luke like he wasn't even there. He rolled his eyes as she roughly bumped into his frame.

"Someone call an ambulance!" someone yelled.

"Oh lord, Dear don't move!"

"How did this happen?!"

Random voices rang out.

Luke scooted up a bit to get his back off of the edge of the chair. His eyes went to Lorelai at her question. "She fell," he stated plainly.

"Yeah, I kinda got that part," Lorelai followed as she looked over Ava's crumpled body. Her eyes went back to the stage, and there were models and backstage helpers coming out to inspect the chaos. "Everybody _off _of the stage," she instructed with a resolute wave of her arm. They did as told. Lorelai turned back to Ava. "Are you okay?"

She breathed heavily, still in panic. She looked at Lorelai for several seconds like she was hoping just her expression was enough to show how foolish the question was. It disappeared and she calmed herself down with a deep breath. "No, I'm not okay," she answered with her eyes now on her foot. "I think my ankle is broken."

Yelling was still going on around them.

"I'll call the ambulance!" someone volunteered.

Luke's hand went up over his head as a stop sign. His tone was calm but agitated. Everybody was screaming like the damn roof was falling in. "Nobody needs to call an ambulance. Just relax." He mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes and carefully slid from beneath Ava. He got to his feet but was still kneeled low as he moved in Ava's line of sight. She glanced at him fast, just seeing who was coming into her space. There was an immediate double take. Then there was staring.

Luke's hands went above her foot. "Do you mind?" he asked. She shook her head absently as she still watched him. Gently, he removed her heel from the foot with the affected ankle.

Lorelai was kneeled beside Luke. Her hand went to his shoulder. "Hey, how'd you get tangled in this?" she asked, her voice nervous as people continued chattering and moving around them. Not to mention her mother who she knew was waiting to add her two or three centsworth of opinions to the noise.

Luke tossed a glance at Lorelai before his attention was going back to Ava's foot. "I came in just as the stage gave way. Tried to catch her," he answered.

Lorelai nodded and pushed both her hands into her temples for a moment. She wished everybody would be quiet for five _seconds_. "You're always there in a pinch, aren't you?" she said. Her true gratitude toward him was blinded by the insane amount distress she felt in the situation.

"Just showed up at the right time," he said with nonchalance.

"Are you hurt at all?" Lorelai asked.

"Nah, I'm okay. Aside from the dent I have in my back from that chair," he said as a joke, "I'm okay."

"Good."

Lorelai's attention went to Ava's ankle which Luke was now feeling out. She was able to move it, and he asked her questions as he touched her. Lorelai's eyes went to Ava's, and she frowned a little when she noticed where the woman's focus rested. She looked like a lustful teenager staring at Luke. He was being great with her, speaking softly and smiling. Just keeping her calm and happy enough to not take unnecessary action against the Independence.

Lorelai looked from Ava to Luke. He smiled a little at Ava's playful praises to the unintentional foot and ankle massage. Not too long ago, she was acting like her foot had been sawed off.

"Feels good," she commented.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Oh yeah."

That got an automatic eye roll from Lorelai. She suddenly felt like she was interrupting a private moment.

Luke sighed and took his hands away. "As far as I can tell, it's just a minor sprain. It's nothing serious at all."

Ava's voice was suddenly much more assuasive and pleasant than it was when speaking to Lorelai about the pain. "Are you sure? Because it really hurts."

He nodded. "I'm pretty sure. You'll just need to stay off of it for a while. Few days or so. As a kid, I got breaks and sprains left and right, so I learned to tell the difference really well. But if you want to go to the doctor, you can." He shrugged. "You'll just be throwing money down the drain on x-rays, and the doctor will probably prescribe something for the pain, something weak enough to be sold over the counter in all likelihood," he said, sounding like a rant was in the works.

Ava smiled. "So, you were a little daredevil as a kid huh?"

Luke shrugged. "Played rough."

She nodded in approval. "I like rough."

Lorelai lightly cleared her throat. Luke and Ava looked at her, and she plastered a smile. "Hi," she said as a way to let them both know she was still sitting there.

Luke gave her an acknowledging head nod.

Lorelai moved hair behind her ear, and kept her hand there as her attention went back to the rowdy crowd. With a sigh, she placed her hands on her knees and slowly stood. "Guess I better grab control before they break out the pitchforks."

Luke stood up too. Lorelai followed his actions as he held both hands out to Ava, helping her from the floor.

Ava sort of hopped to a standing position as she kept weight from her right ankle. "Thanks uh...?"

Someone had set the chair upright, and Luke guided her into it. "Luke," he answered. "My name's Luke."

She smiled and sat. "Thanks Luke," she completed. "My name is Ava."

"Nice to meet you," he said with a casual nod.

"Likewise." She smiled. "And thanks for catching me, Luke." She seemed to enjoy his name. "You're proof that chivalry hasn't completely died out."

"I wouldn't say all of that." He motioned to her. "But it was nothing. I usually ya know...drop to the floor around this time of day anyway, so just consider yourself lucky. Right place, right time."

Ava laughed. Luke cracked a kind smile.

Lorelai watched and listened to their interaction, her eyes going from him to her and back again. All at once, she realized how uncomfortable she was. Or how _increasingly _uncomfortable she was. It was clear that there was flirting going on. She was an expert at the flirt, so spotting one was pie. However, _she _at least had the decency to never flirt in the presence of others. Not seriously anyway. When she flirted, the only one within earshot was the target. She didn't flirt with others there.

She didn't do it with Luke there.

That courtesy, though very unspoken, was just the way things were to be between them. It kept the system moving. She felt slightly disrespected, as Luke seemed to uphold nothing in the established system.

He and Ava began to talk again, and Lorelai turned attention to the attendees. She slipped into her managerial _fix-it _mode. That had everyone backing away with quieter, less disturbed words. The show had, of course, gotten off to a horrible start. But due to the time, effort, and reasoning behind the event, they knew that it had to continue.

Sans stage, of _course_.

Everyone took their seats. Luke tended to Ava. And Lorelai dealt with her mother's tireless reprobation for only seconds before she was announcing a much needed time-out to get everything re-set. The crowd seemed okay with that. Emily was told to go back with the other models. She actually went at the fourth request, and Lorelai was grateful that she had made it easy.

She turned toward Ava again, and saw that she was alone.

"Luke went to get some ice for my ankle," she volunteered in her everyday regal tone.

Lorelai nodded and sighed at the broken stage that mocked her with the literal downfall that had taken place. She pulled out a chair and sat down next to Ava. First her eyes were on Ava's foot, then on her face. "I can't believe this happened. I'm so sorry, Ava," she said apologetically.

She nodded. "I can imagine so. This can't be a good business advertisement," she said pointing to her ankle then at the room filled with people. Her tone was playful but there were obvious undercurrents, showing she wasn't happy with the situation as a whole.

"I know, this does suck for business," Lorelai agreed calmly as she scanned the room. She sighed, bringing attention back to Ava. "But we were doing too well anyway, ya know. _Way _to much cash flow, this place. The way I'm able to make my mortgage payment _month after month_--ugh wasteful." That got a smile from Ava.

Lorelai smiled, the creases appearing in her forehead as her serious side emerged. "I think to be on the safe side, we should get you to the hospital."

Ava lifted her foot a little and looked at her ankle. "I'll be okay," she said with minimal certainty. "Besides, Luke assured me. And he seems to know what he's talking about."

Lorelai's eyebrow lifted in surprise to her comment. Ava had only spoken to him for five seconds, and she was amused to know that she would trust him with something so serious.

"Listen," she began, laughter in her voice, "I love Luke, but I don't think a couple of broken bones qualify him or anybody else as an expert. Until University of Tylenol, Advil College, and Icy Hot State become accredited, he's gonna remain clueless about real medicine just like the rest of us."

Ava's eyes shifted and she leaned in some. "Are you and Luke...?"

Lorelai waited for the rest of the sentence. The prolonged silence told her it was finished. "Are...we what?" she asked confusedly.

Ava smiled. "Are you two...sssssss...._you know_." She was reluctant to finish, and she stretched the 's' syllable out in hopes that Lorelai would pick it up. Lorelai was genuinely clueless. She grew more confused.

"Are we ssssss--what, cyborgs?"

Ava laughed that time. "No." She took a breath. "Are you two _seeing _each other?" she asked straight out. "You know, dating."

Lorelai erected herself from her lean-in. "No!" she answered. The question caught her completely off-guard.

"Oh. Sorry. You said 'love', and I just thought that--"

"When did I say love?" she asked fast, eyes squinting.

"Back there," she answered pointing to their invisible trail of conversation. "You said you love Luke. It could have been thoughtless. You know, something you just say when--"

"Oh, it was," Lorelai interrupted as she recalled. Her eyes fell at her own haste. To her own ears, she sounded defensive and/ or guilty. So, _of course_, she started to talk about it.

"Now, that may sound like I'm being evasive or...untruthful," she added with a smile, "but I'm not. Honestly." She really was being honest. But the way she kept talking was sure to make Ava believe otherwise. She told herself to zip it and took a breath, deciding to nip the paranoia before it grabbed ahold of her. "We're just friends," she finally answered. "Friends with a uh..system," she added.

"A system?"

"Yeah." She smiled bright and genuine. "But no need to inquire about it because he broke it, so...it's defective. We're friends with a _broken _system."

"Okay, you lost me."

Lorelai chuckled. "You're clear. _It's _clear. Nothing but blue skies."

"Confusion...still here."

"There are no obstacles in the form of me, Hon. Luke and I are platonic."

Ava finally smiled as she caught on. It was more because of her emergence from darkness. "Okay, _you're _not an obstacle but are there any others to look out for?"

Lorelai suddenly wondered how she had gotten into this particular conversation. "No. He's single."

"Good. I suppose this is a good time to start laying down my man trap," she replied playfully.

Lorelai just smiled as a response. Ava relaxed in her chair and grimaced a bit as she moved her foot, but her mind was elsewhere. Lorelai didn't have to guess for very long where it was. "He's adorable. Don't you think he's adorable?" she asked with a wrinkle of her nose.

Again, Lorelai smiled. "Like a box of puppies and Tickle-Me Elmos," she answered mechanically.

She took her mind back to all that had happened that night. Things that involved and affected the _inn_ and its guests' safety. Nothing else. She went into problem solving mode, trying to find the best way of cleaning up whatever mess may result from everything. In all honesty, she wanted to remove herself from conversation with Ava. Sitting and talking about where Luke ranked on the hunk-o-meter was seriously not where her interests rested. If Ava wanted to date him that was her thing and her thing only. Lorelai didn't want to become a sound board or a best gal pal to her.

"He looks strong too. Is he strong?"

"I don't think he's a side-show contender, but he can get the lid off of a pickle jar," she answered, still pleasant.

Ava nodded, and her eyes went off in thought. Lorelai took a deep breath in her pause, and she decided to use the time to steer the conversation in the appropriate direction. "I don't really know where you stand on the hospital visit, but you should really let me take you. It's just procedure," she added kindly. "And you, of course, don't have to worry about anything. The inn takes _full _responsibility." Lorelai definitely planned to be in contact with the company that Chuck had come from. But as far as Ava was concerned, the Independence stood as a big time middle-man, and she knew their shoulders were heavy with fault. She went on. "Once we go to the hospital, then we'll just take it from there. But first and foremost, I definitely want to make sure you're okay." She smiled in understanding. "All of the other stuff will come after--"

"I'm not going to sue the inn, Lorelai," she responded tritely like the idea was both preposterous and entertaining. Up until she spoke, Lorelai wondered if she was really even listening. She'd been looking at her so blankly.

Lorelai shook her head like she was erasing the things that didn't add up. "Well, there's still a process that needs to be followed. And not to encourage _any _sort of action here, but I don't want you to think you'd be taking away from me, personally. Trust me, if it were me you were going after, the money you'd get wouldn't accomplish much. It couldn't even qualify as mad money. It'd just be little irritated. And even then, it'd have to count to ten and get over it."

Ava laughed. "No, no. I still wasn't...." She paused and squinted her eyes. "Are you aware of where I live?"

"No. But if you say in a giant shoe with like fifteen siblings, I'm _so _gonna want your autograph."

"Close," she teased evenly. "I live in Hartford. _Upper East_...side," she said so as not to offend in any way. But she still stressed her point.

Lorelai nodded for seconds. "Let me guess. Million dollar home?" she asked knowingly.

"Give or take."

"Wow, you must love your tax bracket," she said sarcastically.

She smiled. "We've got Bush."

"Your Lifesaver is my Sour Patch, Kid."

Laughter came from her as she got to her point. "I don't need the money, Lorelai. I can take care of my own medical needs," she said conversationally. "I think this is a great business, overall. I've heard nothing but great things, so what would suing the business prove? Suing is all about making a point. In this case, that particular joy isn't there. The thrill is gone."

"Cue that rocking B.B King solo." She and Ava smiled. "So um, let me go in the office and draw up the papers that say we broke you pro-bono." Lorelai pretended to lift herself. "Back in a jiffy."

"Um--"

"_There _we go," she said sitting back down. "There's that infamous catch," she said playfully. She sobered a bit. "You know, I didn't mean for us to discuss this over a fashion show. Things are usually a bit more technical than this. Let's just--"

"What kind of women does Luke like?"

Lorelai's smile faded. She really thought the subject of Luke was dropped. "Excuse me?"

"Luke. The cute, sexy guy with the magic hands," she answered playfully like they really were gal pals. "What kind of women does he like?"

"Um ones with...skin and...legs, I don't know," she answered with laughter.

"Oh. So, he's a leg man?"

Lorelai felt like dropping her head to the table over and over before the floor became her napping place. "I don't know, Ava. I was just...trying to be funny, I guess. I honestly don't know what Luke's taste in women is," she ended. Ava looked like she was just getting warmed up on the subject while Lorelai felt that she was just about spun out. She decided to let her know where she stood. "Ava, I've known Luke for about 5 years, and he's a friend. I am extremely, extremely, _extremely_--"

"He looks like he likes blondes," she leaned in and said quickly in her pause.

"-- uncomfortable," Lorelai continued, "talking about him." She was nearly mumbling due to her exhaustion on the subject. It didn't matter since Ava paid her little attention anyway. "You see, it's just that I have these two separate worlds--"

"What are you uncomfortable talking about?"

Lorelai looked over her shoulder to see Luke. "Where'd you go for the ice? Antarctica?" She stood up, and he sat down in her chair.

"Yep. In-flight movie sucked too."

"Well, you can't have everything."

"So I hear."

She smiled. "Michel?" she asked with sympathy, knowing he was the true reason that he'd been gone so long.

Luke rolled his eyes at the memory of the run-in. "Does he have naked pictures of you or something?" he asked wondering why the rude concierge had held the job for so long.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She patted his shoulder, and her eyes went to Ava. Immediately, that tired feeling resurfaced.

"We'll talk, Lorelai," she said since they hadn't finished conversation.

She smiled. "Looking forward to it, Ava."

All heads turned toward the front when the microphone was tapped. The lady that tapped it waved Lorelai over once they made eye contact.

"Okay, duty calls," she said to Luke and Ava. "See you guys in a bit." She left the two of them alone at the table.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The event lasted half an hour. Without a runway, the clothes were modeled in the audience. The participants sashayed around the floor, and gave everyone a much closer view of the apparel. The models, who Lorelai had previously thought to be uptight, managed to turn the glib and uncomfortable looks around on the viewers' faces. They had fun modeling the drab clothes, and had the stiff crowd rocking and clapping to the Cyndi Lauper song. Even her mother strutted her stuff.

Lorelai finished speaking with Ava later on that night, and the conversation they had turned out to be more than a little disturbing for her.

The evening ended when Lorelai went home and replayed everything to Rory, who was laid out on the couch reading. She showed her pictures of the dress that would never again be worn by her, alerted her to her scheduled kidnapping, then went up to bed.

She needed to speak with Luke.

The talk she had with Ava made it necessary to speak with him, but she put it off. She didn't have any desire to give that horrible day anymore of her sanity, so Ava would just have to deal with the delay, she concluded.

The next day she entered the diner around lunchtime and could barely get inside due to the large crowd. She turned around and left. At the inn, she called Luke. Over the noise in the background, she explained her need to talk to him, and for the first time ever, made him aware that she'd be in after closing. Usually, he'd just find her outside begging to have the door unlocked. He agreed, unable to get anything out of her over the phone.

Lorelai left work and headed for Luke's at 10:30pm.

The door was unlocked since he was expecting her. She stepped inside and saw him making his way back around the counter, having been in the dining area.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey." Lorelai locked the door and went to the counter. "Thanks for waiting. I thought I'd be here closer to 10."

Luke held a rag which he playfully lifted over his head and shot like a basketball into a bucket of soapy water. It dropped in with a light splash. "No problem," he said to her. He leaned on the countertop tiredly. "What'd you need to talk to me about?"

Lorelai got herself situated on a stool off to the side of him. "Coffee first? Please? It helps the vocals."

Luke rolled his eyes and got her a mug-full. He had brewed a fresh pot just for her anyway. "Like you need any help talking," he grumbled.

She retrieved the cup and drank a satisfying sip. "Mmm. Fantastic."

"So, you've had a long day huh?"

"Is it that obvious?"

He shrugged. "I can always tell by the way you drink the coffee."

She showed a mixture of confusion and amusement. "I have ways of drinking coffee that reflect my mood?"

"Pretty much."

"And you noticed this?"

"It's nothing creepy. Just something I picked up on."

"I'm touched."

"I've also noticed that on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Babbette doesn't ogle and comment on the male patrons. She reads. That probably means that the night before all of those days, she and Morey routinely--"

"_Ew_. Luke!" Lorelai exclaimed pointedly.

He smiled, looking down at the salt shaker that he moved around with his fingers. "Just saying. You see people everyday, you pick up on stuff. Don't be touched."

Lorelai still held a light frown. "I so did not need to know that."

Luke shook his head, still looking down. "Plenty more where that came from. Let me know if you want to really get to know Kirk."

"I'm good. Thanks."

His smile widened. Lorelai took another sip. She lowered the mug and smiled in amusement as she watched him almost make a game of sliding the salt from hand to hand. Her eyes went from his hands to his face. She waited for him to look at her so he could catch the look of mockery that she wore. But he was too into his game of coordination. Seconds passed before she realized she wasn't going to get his attention. So, she was officially just staring at him for no reason at all.

She looked away.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Luke asked again.

Lorelai suddenly remembered the reason for her visit. Her finger circled the top of her coffee mug. "Uh...Ava, actually."

Luke's brows lifted in acknowledgement, but he didn't stop what he was doing. "What about her?"

Lorelai looked from his face to his hands which now moved so fast, they created a blur. She reached out and quickly stilled the shaker, her hand over one of his. "Will you stop that?" she asked with soft laughter.

He finally looked up. "What?"

"That's really annoying." She slid the salt from his hand and put it back in its proper place. She took a breath and brought both hands around her mug. Luke stood up straight and gave her his attention. "Anyway, like I said, it's about Ava." She looked up at him.

"Yeah, got that part."

Lorelai shrugged a shoulder. "She likes you. Did you know that?"

"Yeah," he answered casually.

She paused, wondering why he wouldn't see that as being conversation-worthy. His tone, instead, asked her to get to the point.

"_Okay_...?" she followed with a smirk. She started to go on, but suddenly couldn't just proceed with his half-assed response to her statement. "Well, what do you think about that?" she asked.

"What _should _I think about it?"

"Well, I don't know. If somebody told me that someone liked me, I'd at least have some opinions on the subject. First thing being: _do I like them back_."

"So...you want to know if I like Ava...?" he asked slowly, putting pieces together in his head.

A little bit of red came onto her cheeks. "That's not too personal, is it? I know it may seem like it's none of my business but--"

"No, it's _not _any of your business," he interrupted calmly.

Lorelai stopped talking, her mouth open. His words made her defensive. Made her want to fight to protect a state of mind that she wasn't even positive she had. "It..._is _my business," she said smartly.

Luke folded his arms. "This should be good."

She ignored him. "I don't put you in the middle of any interactions I have with guys. I never do that, Luke. You didn't care one bit that I was in the middle of yours, so that makes this my business. And I'm here for Ava. I'm here on _behalf _of Ava. That again, makes this my business."

His eyes went narrow. "What did I put you in the middle of?"

"You were flirting with Ava yesterday after she busted her ass, and I was standing _right there_. That was completely disrespectful." Apparently, Lorelai's brain filter was just turned the hell off.

"Disrespectful?" he repeated like a statement.

"_Yeah_," she answered with stress, unwilling to rethink.

"To who? You?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not trying to get into this. This is going way off course."

"Well, keep it off course. Who was I being disrespectful to?"

Lorelai shook her head. And continued to shake her head as she went over things silently. "I'm not..." She scoffed then sort of laughed as her thoughts flew. "I feel attacked. Why do I feel _attacked_, Luke?"

"Hey, I'm just responding to what's coming out of _your _mouth."

Luke had an idea of what she meant by _disrespectful_. But he pushed her whenever he had the opportunity to do so. He had played the game so long that he didn't even realize when he was doing it anymore.

"Let's just drop this," she said.

He conceded with an irritated breath. "Fine. It's dropped."

"Because you're making me mad."

"I said 'fine'."

"I mean, just _pissing _me the hell off right now."

"Apparently it's a yo-yo that we dropped."

She narrowed her eyes. "Why do you do that? Why do you act so nonchalant about everything and doe-eyed like you really don't understand what's going on? I really hate when you do that, Luke."

"Well, I'm sorry, but if I don't know what the hell you're talking about, should I just pretend that I do?" he asked.

"You know what I'm talking about," she refuted with calm. His eyes went wide as he got ready to respond but she went on. "You're putting me on the spot, and it's so not fair. I should have known not to say something like _disrespectful _around you because you're going to question it to death and come out looking like the cool one while I fluster and feel stupid."

She stopped talking and exhaled with frustration. Luke stood looking at her, saying nothing. "Well, aren't you going to say something?" she asked.

He sighed and spoke coolly. "Well, I'm still confused, but I'm a little scared to tell you that right now."

Lorelai bit the inside of her cheek, looking about ready to explode. She pushed her mug aside and folded her hands on the countertop. She met Luke's eyes. "I met this guy," she said.

His jaw clenched momentarily. "So?"

"No, I'm not done," she said smartly. "I met this guy the other day. He asked me out, and I thought he was hot. I mean, _gorgeous_ beyond belief. I couldn't take my eyes off of the guy. We flirted. We smiled, laughed...touched. It was a little inappropriate now that I think about it, but at that moment, I so did not care. I'm pretty sure that if we weren't in public, we--"

"Do you have a point with this?" he asked loudly with a deep frown.

She paused, still looking at him. She broke contact and pulled her mug back in place. "You just made it," she said. Luke's frown slid from his face, and he lowered his eyes. Lorelai didn't look at him. They avoided speech and eye contact. Only seconds went by before they looked at one another at the same time. Lorelai seemed just as embarrassed as he did in that moment. A definite first. "Now, imagine you were standing right there beside me," she ended with a quieter attitude. "That's what I mean by disrespectful."

They looked at each other for a moment. What the hell had just happened? Luke's eyes went off to the side as his thoughts flew around like dead presidents in a money machine.

He scratched the side of his face and looked away. "So..this guy...?"

"Doesn't exist," she finished.

Silence.

A knife would bend if it tried to slice through the tension. Luke wondered if she was satisfied with herself. All of that to prove a fucking point. They weren't in a movie, and that kind of stuff had ramifications that neither was ready to wrap their heads around. But Lorelai never thought that far ahead. It was obvious they had a weird relationship. But what kept things flowing was the silent agreement to _never acknowledge it_!

He moved down to the bucket of soapy water. He lifted the rag and just let water pour from it before dipping it back inside and repeating that. "And if he did exist, you wouldn't tell me all that crap, would you?" he asked gruffly just to make sure.

Lorelai looked into her mug, finally calming down. "No, I wouldn't," she said with slight blame. "I, unlike some people, respect the system."

The system. Luke had no clue what the damn system was. But he got the gist. The gist was what led him to not ask anymore questions. She'd already taken conversation to a place that he never thought she would have. He didn't need any more reality checks. "Okay," he said.

Lorelai looked up at him. Water continued to fall from the rag that was being dipped in and out of the water. "Luke?" He looked at her, and she smiled with discomfort. Squinted her eyes in apology and regret. "I'm sorry I flipped out on you. Let's not turn this into a thing, okay?"

He shrugged, and went over-board in trying to sound okay with everything. "Nah, it's okay. We're okay. It's nothing. Everything's fine," he said with several nods.

She looked at him like she could see through him. He hated when she did that. She didn't say anything about it, but she instead, continued on. "It's okay if you like her. Really. You can date who you want. Not that you need my permission, but you can. I'm fine with that. Just make sure I'm not _right there_, you know? I mean, I felt invisible yesterday."

Luke dropped the rag in the water and wiped his hands on his jeans. Everything felt unreal. The conversation they were having felt very unreal. He couldn't even grasp enough of it to feel its true immensity.

"You're intimidated by Ava?" he asked.

"I'm not _intimidated _by anyone."

He nodded and reclaimed his position in front of her. "I'm sorry if I made you feel...disrespected or whatever." She was looking up at him, and he was looking at her coffee mug. "I respect you," he assured quietly. "And the system...thing."

She smiled. "I respect you too."

"Good."

She nodded, watching him look downward instead of in her face.

"And I wasn't flirting with her." He finally looked at her. She gave him a genuine look of doubt, but she smiled. They'd gotten past a pretty intense exchange, and she had no intention of directing them back toward another one. He went on. "She fell in your inn. I didn't want her to over-react and call her lawyer who she probably has on speed dial. I was just being nice to her."

Lorelai's eyes shifted. "You don't like her?"

"I don't know her. What could I like about her?"

"You know what I mean. You don't find her attractive?" she asked. She had no one to blame for the discomfort that followed. It was, after all, her own question.

He shrugged, and his eyes went off as if he had to remember how she looked. "She's okay, I guess."

"So, you haven't considered her?"

"No."

She stared at him, feeling concealed relief at his answer.

Ava talked too much. Lorelai already knew everything the woman found attractive about Luke, and if they started dating, she'd probably learn intimate details about him that, as a friend, she'd have no business knowing. She didn't even crack a smile, but on the inside, there were champagne corks flying everywhere.

"Do you _want _me to like her?" Luke asked confusedly, misreading her reaction.

She smiled. "No."

"Well, good. We don't have a problem."

"Except," she started to say. "...we uh...kind of do."

"What?"

Lorelai looked upward. "Or _I _do. _You _don't necessarily have a problem. But _I _have one. And that's why I'm here...actually," she ended.

Luke stared at her for a moment. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Well, who's to say, really? Some like it hot, others like it cold. Some like the--"

"Lorelai," he interrupted solemnly.

"Okay, here's the thing. I really thought that you liked her, so when this was suggested, it wasn't that big a deal. Now that I know you're not into her, it's a little bit different. But it doesn't have to be. We can just make it a game. Or a mission. Missions are fun, right?" Luke looked at her without expression. "We can call it something fierce like: _operation keep-Lorelai's-job-safe_." She smiled. "Sounds exciting, doesn't it?"

"Can you get to the point?"

Lorelai sighed. "I need you to sleep with Ava."

Luke's eyes bugged out of his head. "_What_?!"

She spoke with regret, her head tilted a bit. "I need you to sex her, Luke. Hot and dirty, with a minimum of five ass slaps."

"Lorelai!"

"Ten if you have the stamina for the kickback."

Luke's face was deep red. He blew frustrated air out through his mouth, and his jaw clenched. "Is this your idea of funny?"

She shrugged, unimpressed. "Amusing, not funny. Personally, I'd rate it a 6. Only because your face got as red as a baboon's posterior. Judges?" She looked off to the side at no one.

"What is it that you need?" Luke asked with a large and dismissive sigh.

Lorelai smiled. "Ava is staying at the inn."

"Okay...?"

"She's there now. I offered her round the clock ass kissing until she's better. She really appreciated too. Not even millionaires can pass up free stuff. You think entertainers run to award shows to present awards just so they can be seen on television? Oh no, they're all about the gift bags! Bags filled with stuff they can afford a million times over. Go figure."

Luke rolled his eyes. He really wished she could, for once, stay on subject long enough to get to the point. "_Okaaay_...?" he said again stressfully.

"Anyway, as you know, she said she doesn't want anything from the Independence."

"Yeah."

"But she does want you." Luke asked for clarification with a look. "Nothing sexual--I was just joking about that. But she is extremely interested." She stopped talking, and they were just looking at each other. She smiled. "Um..we're friends, you and I, so she wanted me to come to you and do...what I'm doing now. She didn't want me to _convince _you because she's pretty sure you're already into her. Probably because she's blonde and leggy, and they're all just biologically arrogant. Anyway, she just wants me to set something up. You know, play matchmaker. Or pimp."

Luke was silent for seconds. "She wants a date?" he asked plainly.

"Yeah, sure. A date." She smiled. "Though I'm sure she wouldn't be opposed to the ass slapping thing. So you can probably tap that if you want." She watched him.

For seconds, he said nothing. He just looked back at her.

Then he leaned in with a tiny smile. "You think she'll let me?" he asked almost in a whisper. Lorelai's smile started to disappear, and she looked at him like he was transforming into something else. Luke backed away with an eye roll. "Don't dish it out if you can't take it," he annotated.

"That's really not funny."

"Neither is the stuff you say."

"I beg to differ."

"Why'd you stop smiling?" Luke asked.

They looked at one another for a second, and when Lorelai saw the corner of his mouth twitch, her eyes went narrow. "Oh, don't do that." Luke looked down, a barely noticeable smirk on his lips. "I stopped smiling because you sounded like a _jerk_. It was uncharacteristic." He nodded lazily, not showing that he believed her at all. "Why'd you say what you said?" she asked defensively.

He didn't hesitate. "Because it sounded like you were testing me."

"Testing you?"

"Yeah. Seeing if I really wanted to be with her. Give the people what they want, right?"

Lorelai looked at him silently, so many different responses flying around in her head. Luke held her stare, his not nearly as contemplative. Too many seconds passed with her not saying anything. He lifted his head, keeping narrowed, almost playful eyes on her. "You look serious," he commented.

She blinked her attention downward, then lifted her mug to her lips. "Again, that wasn't funny," she said before taking a sip.

"You keep saying that."

She swallowed the liquid. "And I keep meaning it."

"You sound cold now."

"Stop commenting on me. I don't sound cold."

"You sound cold."

"Seriously, Luke, stop doing that."

"Don't act like what I'm doing is making you mad. You got there before now. What made you get there is the question."

Lorelai looked at him. "You think you're getting in my head, don't you?" He shrugged noncommittally. "Do you even _know _how fast I can flip this around?" she asked. "I don't fluster, baby," she assured with condescension.

"And now I'm _baby_. Nice."

Her eyes narrowed. "Shut up."

"Let's see if I can get a _honeybunch_."

She couldn't help but smile that time. "Who knew you could be so cute?" she said, meaning for it to sound much more like sarcasm than it did.

He smiled and answered the rhetorical question with one word. "Ava."

Her mouth dropped open. Luke laughed. She closed her mouth and shook her head, giving her cup her attention. "Man." She smiled. "That actually stung a little bit. I'm not gonna lie."

Luke's fingers wrapped around her half-empty mug and he took it to pour more coffee. "You'll live," he said blandly. He started to say _'I've lived through plenty of stings' _but held back. Lord only knew where that would lead them.

Lorelai's eyes stayed on the countertop. She took seconds to run through things. Too much was being said between her and Luke. As the voice of a robot: _Danger Will Robinson! _played in her head, she smiled. Luke's expression appeared to her--the one he wore when she spoke of her imaginary flirting session. She had no idea where her words had come from. But she supposed it was more anger than courage that had served as her inspiration.

It had proven her point, and that was all she wanted at the time. She wanted him to know that she was not to be made a fool of. At least not without company.

She knew there would be plenty of time to regret things later. But right now, she just had her thoughts.

"Here," Luke said as he set her mug back in front of her.

She broke her focus and looked up. "Thanks." He nodded and stepped back. The diner had already been cleaned, and the only thing left to do was clean the coffee pot, Lorelai's mug, and flip off the lights for the night. He had nothing to do but just stand there. Lorelai drank a big gulp then looked up at him. He was already looking at her, and he looked down and around trying to make it look like she was just a small pit stop for his eyes. She ended up smiling at that but chose not to speak on it. They'd already landed and started building an estate on unfamiliar territory.

"So," she began, "back to Ava." They met eyes again. She smiled. "What's it gonna be?"

"Is she blackmailing you or something?"

"Not really. At least I've convinced myself she's not. But she hasn't signed anything yet, and I've tried to bring up the subject a few times, and she'll smile weird and bring the topic back to you."

He rolled his eyes. "She's sounding more and more appealing by the second."

Lorelai gave him a sympathetic look. "I wish she'd never gotten hurt yesterday. And if she wanted to take it further, I could understand that. But she doesn't. This has major potential to just go away quietly, and thinking of Mia and everything...that's great, you know? If she was giving me this huge ultimatum upfront, no chaser, it would be a completely different story." She smiled softly. "But she's just...infatuated with this guy that I happen to know."

"I feel like I'm being used."

"You are, Hon."

He took a deep breath. "How far does this have to go?" He held up a hand. "And if you mention anything else about sex, I'm done."

"I was kidding about the sex. You're not going to have sex with her," she replied almost in an order.

"Tone," he warned. He gestured to himself. "Remember, grown man. _Single_, grown man here."

"You don't have to argue everything I say, Luke. You already admitted that you don't like her, so sex is off the table anyway." She closed her eyes briefly, saying in the next second, "And if for some reason it's not--if you want to be _that _guy--then that's on you; I just don't want to hear about it."

There was not one chance in hell of him sleeping with someone who he didn't feel anything for. That would never happen. He was just standing his ground with Lorelai. He sighed. "Whatever," was all he said in response.

"...Even though I probably _will _hear about it because Ava doesn't know how to shut it, so unless you want me knowing everything about you from length to technique--"

"Okay!"

She took a calming breath. "Anyway," she continued, "It's just a date. Along with your answer of yes, I'll have some legal and binding papers for her to fill out. It's all mapped out."

"One date?"

"What you do beyond the signing of the papers is up to you."

He rolled his eyes. "Back to this."

"Back to what?"

"Stop acting like you don't care. You have transparency that doesn't even require x-ray vision."

"Guess I have no need to tell you what color my panties are, then huh?"

"Funny."

She smiled. "I care."

He twisted his lips. "Shocking."

She smiled wider. "I care _only _because Ava is a part of Chilton..which is a part of Hartford.. which is a part of Emily and Richard.. which is the source of the pain that I get between my eyes every Friday night. You're a part of Stars Hollow. Stars Hollow is my chosen world. Merging the worlds would bring forth chaos for me."

"Should have known this was all about you."

She scoffed. "Well, _yeah_!"

He sighed. "Where am I supposed to take her?"

She shrugged. "Where do you usually take your ladies?"

There was a small amount of thought then an annoyed shrug. "I dunno--dinner, movie, wherever I think she'll want to go. Whenever there _is_ a lady."

Lorelai's eyes penetrated him as she ran her fingertips along the warm mug. She smirked. "Well, Ava is so disgustingly smitten that I think you can just check right into the hotel with her."

"What a one-track mind you have."

"I'm just offering insight."

"You've already offered it. Like twenty times."

She playfully squeezed a fist tight. "You know, I can just _see _you going on the date with her, changing your mind about starting something, and _screwing _up my worlds completely," she said accusingly. She grinned at his look of exhaustion.

"You need me to write on a chalkboard 100 times that I won't sleep with your friend, Lorelai?"

"She's not my friend."

"Remember in school how they taught you to pick out the main topic in the sentence? You must have really sucked at that."

She smiled.

They stared at one another for seconds. Luke looked away, taking a deep breath as a smile came across his lips. "Tell you what. If hell freezes, thaws, then evaporates leaving dry land, and Ava and I start something, she and I will move away so your worlds will remain in-tact. Better?"

"If hell freezes, thaws, and evaporates, I, _here on earth_, will still need my coffee and danishes. So, no."

"Caesar will get them. I'll leave him the business. Teach him everything I know."

They continued the staring thing silently. Lorelai didn't say anything for a long while, and when Luke started to smile, she did too.

Her mouth almost started letting words out, but the sputtering brain filter caught them in time. So Luke didn't get to hear just how much of her Stars Hollow world would falter without him. She started to let him know, flat out, how his leaving wasn't even _close _to being an option. But the brain filter had gone from being cheap and sucky to top-of-the-line.

She spoke the words of consideration.

"Who would uh...Taylor hound?"

With an eye roll, Luke broke contact. "Screw Taylor."

Lorelai smiled at his sentiment. She shifted on her stool and one of her feet went to the floor. "I probably should take off."

His eyes went wide and dropped to her coffee mug. "Wow, that came out of the blue."

"No, it's right in the middle of the blue actually," she replied lightheartedly. She chuckled. "It's getting late." She pointed up to the clock and caught Luke's surprised brow lift as he noticed the late hour. "I've got a kid, ya know," she reminded. "Remember her?"

"Oh yeah. _Her_." He smiled a small smile and winked.

Lorelai paused, and with a slight grimace said, "Don't do that with Ava, okay?"

"Do what?"

She circled her own eye. "That...winking thing." She started moving again. "It looks _stupid_...and it's unattractive."

He looked bruised at first. Then, his eyebrows lifted in thought. "Well, that's a good thing. Maybe I will do it then," he decided.

Again, Lorelai paused. She rolled her eyes. "Okay, it _doesn't _look stupid and unattractive," she admitted quickly. "Just don't do it, dammit," she said all in a rush.

Luke smiled slowly, as if everything came to him little by little. He started walking languidly around the counter.

"Why?" he asked.

"Bye, Luke."

He sort of chuckled. "Why?" he asked again.

"_Bye, Luke_!"

He made it around the counter, his hands now in his pockets. Lorelai looked up at him and rolled her eyes again at the smile he wore. She continued gathering her things, and she emptied her mug with two last gulps. "Mm." She set it down. "On the house, right?" she asked him. He stood several feet away, closer to the door.

"Sure, why not?" he answered with a head shake.

She smiled. "You rock, Rockstar." She made her way to the door, and he moved over a little, partly blocking the exit. She stopped in front of him, and her eyes kind of bounced down the length of his body then back to his face. "You think you're Hollow Man or something?"

He smiled and gingerly shook his head as though it was a real question.

"You uh said she's at the inn, right?"

"Yeah. With a penthouse view. Ya know..._of the duck pond_."

He laughed. Lorelai smiled faintly as her eyes traced his features.

Luke went on. "I'll come by tomorrow. Ask her out properly and everything."

She nodded. "Oh of course. I don't want her to think this is _fake _or anything, which we both know it is," she said gesturing between them. He nodded, watching her. "We both know it's _not real_, but there's no need for her to know that you're not into her like... _at all_."

He smiled a little. "Right. Whatever. Anyway, I'll be by tomorrow."

"Okay." She nodded, sighed. "Thanks for doing this, by the way. I'm so incredibly grateful."

"I'm always down for a good mission. Let's get _operation keep-Lorelai's-job-safe _up off the ground."

She said nothing for a moment, just held a small smile. "You remember stuff I say?"

"Unfortunately."

"Cute."

He smiled, pretending to take the compliment deeper. "Thanks."

She rolled her eyes and took her attention to the door behind him. "Can I leave now?"

He shrugged a shoulder. "I suppose." He stood there causing her eyes to go back to his. She smiled a little and asked him with her eyes if he was going to move. He reached behind himself and put his hand on the doorknob. "Here, let me get this for you," he said, his eyes still on hers.

"Such a gentleman," she responded. He opened the door fully, and she started moving past him, only then breaking eye contact. "Goodnight."

"You too," he said.

She got over the threshold and her hand went back to the door so he wouldn't close it just yet. "And Luke?" she called. She said his name _then _turned to look up at him.

"Yeah."

She paused. Grimaced again. "That uh..." Her hand left the door and she gestured to her face. "...laughing thing you did before? Don't do that on your date either." A corner of his mouth turned up and he dropped his gaze. She watched his head go low. "That was just--ugh--disgusting. _So _ugly."

His chin went deeper into his chest to keep from looking like a complete idiot in front of her. He just nodded genially. "I'll rope it in."

Lorelai watched him admire his shoes, and she smiled. With a light tug, she pulled at the front of his flannel, then walked away.

Luke didn't dare look up until he heard a fading engine.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Lorelai walked into the kitchen at the Independence. What preceded her was a growl. "Oh man, Sook."

"What, Hon?"

"That lady is getting on my nerves," she stated as she went to the coffee machine. "Tell me again why she's staying here."

Sookie dusted her hands across her apron. "I'm assuming you mean Ava?"

"That'd be her."

Sookie smiled. "She's here because she'll probably take us for everything we have if she's not kept happy."

"Oh yeah. That." She sighed and lifted her coffee mug to her lips.

"Since I got that all straightened out for you, do you feel better?"

"Is she still here?"

There was laughter. "Yeah, I assume so."

"Then, I don't feel that much better."

"Hm. Thought for sure that'd cheer you up."

Lorelai smiled. "She's nice enough. Just annoying as hell."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I really think that she feels that she's found a friend in me."

Sookie closed her eyes and started grooving. "_You've got a frieeend in me. You've got a friend in me_."

Lorelai smiled at the break out in song from Toy Story. "Sook? You mind?"

Giggles. "Sorry."

"Anyway, she's _so talkative_."

"Trying to become a close friend is a no no. Doesn't she know who fills the role of best friend in your life?" Sookie asked possessively.

Lorelai smiled. "She definitely has a few mountains to climb before catching up to that person," she replied with a wink.

"I know that's right!"

She sighed. "She won't be here for too much longer. As soon as Luke puts in a little time, I'm sure she'll be on her way."

"Well, let's get him over here then! Speed this process along."

"He'll be here later." She paused. "Doing me a favor. Because he's _not _interested in her," she clarified.

Sookie went back to whipping some icing that she'd created. She giggled out her words. "I know. You've said it a few times."

"Well, I just want to make sure it's clear."

"You know, Honey, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were just a teeny bit jealous."

"Guess it's a good thing you know better, then." Sookie laughed. "Sook, I'm the one that arranged for them to get together. I'm the coordinator. The coordinator doesn't get jealous."

"Okay, _Coordinator_," she said mockingly with more laughter.

Lorelai lifted her mug to her lips.

Michel appeared in the doorway. "The diner man is here looking for you."

Lorelai nodded while finishing up her prolonged sip. She brought the cup down, still standing against the metal table. "What is he wearing?" she asked with nonchalance.

Michel couldn't look more bored if he tried. "What?"

"His clothes, Michel. What does he have on?"

Sookie turned and looked at Lorelai.

He answered dryly. "The same thing he always wears. He looks exactly like a lumberjack, same as always. Why?"

Sookie stopped stirring. "Yeah, _why_?" she added with a smirk.

Lorelai looked from Michel to Sookie and chuckled at their stares. "No reason." She set her mug down and stood up to go into the lobby. Michel turned and left the kitchen. Lorelai passed by Sookie who still looked at her suspiciously. "He better not had gotten all spiffy for her," she leaned in and said, not slowing her pace.

Sookie's mouth dropped open just as Lorelai passed by. Lorelai only caught a little of that shock, and she smiled at it, her eyes now on the door ahead.

"Oh my god! You _are _jealous!" Sookie exclaimed after her.

"Coordinator, Sookie!" Lorelai yelled back. "Just a coordinator."

She exited.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

"Independence Inn, Lorelai speaking," Lorelai announced pleasantly into the phone. She picked up a pen absently, her eyes straight ahead. "Mmhm. Mmhm." She finally looked down and started to write. "Okay, Mr. Carson. We've got you down for the twelfth." She looked back up as she completed the reservation. "Thank you for calling. Bye-bye."

She clicked off the cordless and set it down on the front desk.

"You know, Lorelai, it is impolite to stare."

Lorelai took her attention from the seating area of the lobby over to Michel who had come beside her.

"A lesson in etiquette coming from _you_, Michel? I don't even know where to start pointing out what's wrong with that."

He rolled his eyes, ignoring the insult. "Why are you staring at the two of them?"

She looked at him. "The two of who?"

He smirked at her genuine attempt to act confused. "The diner owner and the lady from the fashion show," he answered anyway.

Lorelai leaned on one foot. "Is it like impossible for you to call people by their actual names?"

"To learn names takes patience that I don't have."

"Since you seem to be so hung up on all things polite, you'd think you would find patience somewhere."

"You'd think, wouldn't you?"

"Come on, Michel. Say it with me..." She warmed up her lips to give him a short speech exercise.

"Okay, I'm through with you now," he declared boredly with a flick of his wrist. He started shuffling papers.

"Luh Luh Luh Luh Luuuee Kuh-- Luuuke-- and Aaaaee, _not bee_, but Aaaaaee Aaaaaee Vuh-- Aaae Vuh. Come on, put it together, Michel. What do you have?"

"Fortunately for you, I don't have mace," he replied dryly as she tugged on his arm.

She chuckled, leaning in closer to the side of his face. "Luuuke and Aaaava. Luuke and Aaava. What do you end up with? Luke and Ava," she ended simply.

"What about Luke and Ava?"

Lorelai nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned to the new voice. Her hand went to her chest. "God Luke, announce yourself," she said. He made it the rest of the way to the check-in desk and placed his hands on the edge.

"Sorry," he said out of obligation.

Michel sighed and gave Luke the once over. "You don't seem to be her type, yet she is ogling you. How peculiar."

Lorelai stayed focused on Luke, and she smiled tightly.

Luke drew a look of confusion as he looked at Michel. "What are you talking about?"

Michel smiled.

Lorelai casually brought her fingers to just above his elbow and pinched the tiniest piece of skin imaginable through his blazer. All without looking at him.

"OWW!" Michel exclaimed. He jumped away and scowled at her as he clutched the injury. Lorelai smiled genuinely and turned to him.

"Huh? What's that Michel? You have to go check on the linen delivery _right now_?" She sighed, feigning disappointment. "Well, okay. If duty calls, you must answer."

He glared at Lorelai then stalked away while mumbling in French.

Luke looked after him. "What's his problem?" he asked, moving focus to Lorelai once he'd disappeared.

She breathed a heavy sigh through her parted lips. "How much time do you have?" she asked rhetorically.

He shrugged thoughts of Michel away. Lorelai looked over his shoulder where Ava was sitting. She and Luke had been in the lobby for about half an hour. As Lorelai now looked over, she saw Ava on the couch flipping through one of the inn's magazines, obviously waiting on Luke to return.

Lorelai sighed and cleared her throat.

She and Luke locked eyes.

With a polite smile, she pointed a quick finger over toward the lobby. "So. Ava huh?"

"What?"

She shook her head. "Just uh noticing Ava is there. You and Ava. Still."

"Yeah."

"Asked her out yet?"

He smiled a little. Shook his head. "Uh nah."

She looked at him for seconds. "Falling in love yet?"

His smile went away. "Jeez."

She smiled. "What's up? Why'd you part with Mrs. Backwards Baseball Cap to come up here?"

He took a breath. "I needed a break. I'm tired."

"Tired of what?"

Luke's hand went to his hat and he turned to look at Ava briefly. He spoke low. "I'm tired of talking to her, Lorelai." She smiled. "I don't want to do this anymore. It feels wrong."

"What does?"

"This," he expressed. He shook his head. "I feel like a jerk."

"You're not jerk."

"I feel like one, though."

"You're doing me a favor, Luke."

"Well, when you put it that way..." he said in sarcasm with an added eye roll. "Is she looking over here?" he leaned in and asked, paranoid.

Lorelai looked over, then reported back. "Occasional glances. Nothing major."

He grumbled a little. Appeared to be in some sort of agony.

She smiled. "Stick your butt out a little. Give her something."

"You're loving this aren't you?"

"About as much as you are," she said casually.

Luke looked over his shoulder and caught Ava's eye. After an instant smile and a cool head nod, Lorelai watched him face her again with that smile disappearing like it was never there. She laughed quietly.

"Don't laugh," he warned.

Lorelai took a heavy breath. "Let's just forget about the whole thing, okay? I'm not going to make you do something that you're this uncomfortable with. It's okay, we'll just--"

"--get sued?"

"Hey, I hear it puts you on the map," she joked.

"No, it takes you off of it. Look, it's no big deal. I'll just go back over there and ask her so I can get the hell out of here." He looked at his watch. "I've been here about thirty minutes too long anyway. "

"It's only been thirty minutes."

"Exactly."

She smiled. "You have to get back to the diner?"

"Yep, gotta get back." She nodded. They met eyes again. Luke pointed a finger back. "Okay, I'm going to--"

"--go ask Ava out. Got it."

He nodded, his eyes still on hers. "Wish me luck." She just smiled considerately. He turned, took a few steps, then turned back. "Hey uh...I still haven't come up with anyplace to take her. Can we just...eat here?"

Lorelai's eyes widened a bit. "Here? The Independence?"

"Yeah," he answered with a hopeful look.

"That's...not a date, Luke."

"It's dinner. It's good enough."

"You just have the girls falling at your feet don't you?"

He started to appear even more comfortable with his suggestion. "Hey, the more casual, the better. Besides, her ankle is injured. I don't just want to go carting her all over town, do I?" He smiled a little, delighted that he was able to make it sound thoughtful.

"_Riiiight_," Lorelai stretched out. He smiled more.

"So, what do you think?" he asked.

"I think it sounds cheap," she said bluntly.

"_Besides _that, what do you think?"

She sighed and looked over his shoulder again. "Well, it's definitely casual. And you know the food will be terrific. Thank Sookie's existence for that."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that," he said dismissively with a brow scratch. "Are you going to have her sign right after our date?"

Lorelai shook her head. "No, she already put something in writing. When I went up to her room after you got here, she did. She didn't see it as being that big a deal, but we even had a witness there so nothing could get ya know...forgotten or cough cough _denied_." She smiled. "But she was really cool about it." Luke stared with a blank look. "She's really a nice lady," she ended animatedly.

Now initially, Luke assumed she was kidding since her tone of voice was so light and sounded like it was about to be followed with loud mockery. But her silence led him to realize that she really had already gotten what she needed from Ava.

"You're not joking," he stated.

"Well, I hear the Priest and the Rabbi are recovering alcoholics and have given up bar life, so I'm really uninspired these days."

He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Lorelai."

He said her name with such patience. It _was _entwined with irritation. But that caring tone stood out above all. It's what caught her off guard and brought a smile to her face. It was so completely uncharacteristic. He called her with affection. It reminded Lorelai of the tone that she used with Rory during the few times that she had stepped out of line as a child.

"What?" she answered, still smiling. She hoped to embarrass him when he asked her the reason for that almost grin. Of course she planned to mock him. But he paid her no mind.

"We're officially playing with this woman's mind for our own entertainment. You know this is going to turn out badly, don't you?"

"Sorry, I don't. When Ms. Cleo got locked away, she made all of us in the biz turn our backs on the gift."

He glared at her. She tilted her head and smiled as she studied that glare.

"You look frustrated," she calmly commented.

"I _look _like an asshole," he refuted.

"Oh, Luke." She wagged a finger. "Don't say 'hole'. That's what makes it unsuitable for TV. Just say 'ass'. You look like an _ass_."

He rolled his eyes. "Guess I'll go back over here. Hell, party of one." He turned to walk away as Lorelai only smiled wider at him. "Make that two," he muttered over his shoulder.

"Hey!" she whispered just loud enough to get him to come back. He did. He always did. "Listen," she went on in a more serious voice, "I'm not playing with her head, Luke. I wouldn't do that. But if I just start going back on everything I told her now that I have what I want, that'd take this _asshole _thing to a whole other level." She gave him a knowing look. "I think you'll agree that the level we're on is just fine. We're already here anyway, so just settle in. Buy draperies. And maybe some air scents."

He twisted his lips as he considered her words. Instead of saying he agreed with the plan, he just showed compliancy by sighing and turning back to continue along with it.

"You're the best, Luke."

He ignored her. He was already halfway across the lobby anyway.

Lorelai watched him take his seat across from Ava. She turned away in the next moment.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The following evening is when Luke chose to get together with Ava.

Lorelai knew the day, but she wasn't sure of the time. She was at the front desk when he arrived.

Some sheets held her attention, and though she was aware of someone coming in, she didn't bother looking up until several seconds later. With a natural flip of her hair, she took her eyes from the desk straight to Luke's clean shaven face. Her pupils went wide then narrow. The first was instinctive, and the second was a show of control.

Luke wore a bluish-gray colored dress shirt, charcoal slacks, and a pair of black cap-toe shiny shoes. A black leather jacket was over it but left his entire outfit exposed as he strolled up to the desk with his hands in his pockets. His entire GQ appearance didn't change one ounce of his persona. Lorelai was greeted with an eye roll.

"I'm here," he announced flatly.

Lorelai let breath out through her mouth, her eyes taking in all she could see of him. "I can see that," she said distractedly. She gestured toward him. "You look...different."

"Yeah. Uncomfortable, weird clothes can usually do that for a person."

With Luke standing right in front of the desk, Lorelai could only see his dress shirt. But from what she'd seen when he had come in, she realized the only thing she recognized on him was the dress pants. She had bought them a year ago with his credit card. The shirt and the shoes were not familiar.

"Did you go shopping?" she asked.

"What?"

"For the shirt. I didn't buy that or the shoes."

He looked down at himself then back at her. "I already had these," he answered. He frowned a little. "What, you think I didn't know how to dress myself before you came into my life?"

Lorelai only smiled. His normal gruff look wasn't working at all without the peach fuzz. He looked so handsome. His frown just fed into that even more. Though Lorelai would never verbalize that, she couldn't help but entertain the thoughts in the privacy of her own head. The next thought that took center stage made her want to borrow part of his frown. She did.

"What are you getting all dolled up for Ava for anyway? I thought you didn't like her. You're sending mixed messages here, Luke."

"To who, Ava?"

"To Ava. To the world. Your mixed messages are floating all over the freaking place."

He rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Lorelai."

"Are you two still eating here?"

"Yeah," he answered casually as he glanced at his watch.

Lorelai held back on commenting on that gesture. "Well," she continued. "I had to ask because your attire..." She used her hand to motion, "...says 'screw Lorelai's little inn, I'm taking Ava somewhere where we can have a real evening alone'."

He sighed, not picking up whatever bait Lorelai was throwing down. "Well, we're still eating here. So, set two more places."

She stared into his face for a moment as he ran his hand over his hairless jaw. When he met her eyes, she dropped her gaze down to his chest then took it back to his face. There was only a slight silence between them. "She's upstairs," she said pointing up. "I'm sure you know the room number."

"I do."

She put together a smile. "Then, see ya."

He smiled. "Yeah, literally. We're coming right back down here."

She smiled for real.

He turned and left, and she watched him until the elevator doors closed him off.

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Sookie prepared Thai pork with vegetable curry for dinner. Her unique spin had guests in the dining room licking their fingers and utensils with little conversation.

Luke and Ava were among the many.

Lorelai busied herself around the inn. She had lots of curiosity about the date going on in the dining room, but other tasks got her focus. She wanted to know what they talked about, how Luke interacted with her, if Ava was touching him...if he was touching her.

Night time was usually when the workload slowed at the Independence. Though this night was no different, Lorelai still moved and worked like her duties were stacked high and seeking completion. She avoided the dining room in order to give Luke space to do what he had to do without her lingering there.

She left the front desk and headed into her office. A folder in one hand, her cell phone in the other, she got ready to speed dial home so she could check in with Rory. She opened the door to her office, then felt a gentle push to her lower back. She turned and found Luke directly behind her, now crowding her heel since she had slowed. He pushed her inside, then came inside too, closing the door behind them.

Lorelai flipped her phone shut and looked at him in question.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

He moved away from the door and made himself comfortable on the loveseat she had in there. "Hey," he said casually.

Her eyes took in his obvious comfort, then she smiled--humored and still confused. "_Hey_," she followed. "What are you doing?" she asked again. "You know you have a date out there, right?"

Luke took a breath. "I needed a break."

She rolled her eyes back at his words. "Great date you are," she mumbled jokingly. She went to the desk and dropped her folder and phone there. "So, what, are you going to hide out in my office for the rest of tonight?" she asked, her voice soft.

"No," he answered. He looked at her approach him. "I just saw you heading in here so I followed you in."

"Good plan. You're in here, and Ava is out there thinking you're where?"

"Bathroom."

"Original," she replied, finally making it to him. She bent down and took his wrist in her hand. "Get up, pretty boy."

He scowled. "Don't call me that."

"Sorry. Get up pretty man." She smiled.

"I think you're missing the problematic word."

She tugged, and he stood. Her eyes went high to meet his face, and his went low to meet hers. They looked. Lorelai felt silly just looking and not talking. So she talked. "Hey."

"Hey to you too."

She smiled.

"Why do you have a couch in here?" Luke asked curiously.

"My job is stressful, so I need it to relax."

"Oh."

Pause. "Why did _you_ think I had a couch in here?"

He smiled. Just a little piece of a smile that had Lorelai's eyes moving to the source. "To relax," he answered. "Same thing you said."

She figured that was a lie, but she didn't push it. She said nothing at first, then changed the subject. She asked the question that crept across her mind as she looked at him. "Why did you shave? You never shave."

"I shave sometimes."

"I've never seen you shave."

"You still haven't _seen _me shave," he said smartly.

"You know what I mean, Luke."

He rolled his eyes. "Well, this was a favor for you, right? I was doing this for you. Figured I'd...turn it all the way on."

She was quiet for seconds. "Well, you definitely did _that_."

"Yeah, guess I did."

More staring followed their words, both their gazes just thoughtful. "You wouldn't have had to shave for me," Lorelai finally said, her voice casual but quiet.

"I wouldn't have had to shave for you if what?" he asked.

"I'm just saying."

"What are you _just saying_?"

Two nights ago came blazing back into her head. And this type of pressing was what had taken them down the path they'd trailed. Lorelai just smiled at his question.

"You should get back out there," she told him.

He nodded and looked away. "Good idea."

"I'm full of them."

He moved around her. "You're full of _something_," he joked evenly.

She turned and was presented with his back. She pushed it lightly. "Ladies and Gentleman, I present Red Skelton, funnier than ever," she announced plainly.

He smiled, still facing the door. "So you can uh..." He put his hand on the knob and turned to face her. She stopped, a foot from him. "...you can drop by the table if you want," he finished.

Her smile went wide and her eyebrows lifted. "Thank you, but I don't want," she answered.

"You sure?"

"Why would I want to see you all over the Chilton mom?"

"She's nice," he commented.

She asked the question again. "Why would I want to see you all over the Chilton mom?"

"We're just eating."

"Good. You can do that without my company."

"You're so funny sometimes."

"I'm funny all the time. Knock knock."

"Go away." She smiled. He went on. "You sure you don't wanna stop by?"

"Definitely."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

She nodded, looking in his eyes for a moment then dropping her gaze down to the doorknob he held. "Here, let me." She moved in a little and reached behind him, expecting him to remove his hand. He didn't, and her hand ended up wrapping around his.

Eyes met.

"This is where you move your hand and let me be kind and get the door." Her smile was so gentle.

"I didn't agree to that," he said back.

He slowly turned the knob, her hand still in place. Halfway, she moved her hand away but stood in place. Luke stepped forward a bit to allow the door to open. They came close to being pressed together before he stepped to the side. Lorelai didn't even attempt to move herself. The door now open fully, he smiled.

"Thanks anyway," he said.

Lorelai's eyes moved between his restlessly. "Yeah, no problem." She played with her fingers.

He raised a hand barely and waved to her on his way out. The door closed.

Lorelai swallowed, turned, then went to her desk. She picked up her cell and continued making the call to her kid.

The line was answered. "Hey Mom."

Lorelai's mind was all over the place. "Hey...uh...uh..."

"Rooory," Rory answered slowly. "My name is Rory, Mom."

Lorelai snapped her fingers. "Yeah, _Rory_!" She laughed. "It was right on the tip of my tongue, Sweetheart."

-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

The next day, Lorelai came into the diner with Rory. It was after the breakfast rush, so the diner was steady but not very busy. Lorelai couldn't entirely deal with the early _early_ morning crowd. It took way too much away from her one-on-one Luke annoyance time.

She and Rory found a table and sat.

Luke approached.

"Hey Rory, Lorelai."

"Hey!" they sang together.

Luke set his pen to write. "You two know what you want?"

Rory picked up the menu on the table. "Um, I think I want to look first."

"Why? It's the same menu that you've been looking at for years now."

"Don't impede my child's brain development, Luke. Whatever she wants to read, let her read," Lorelai said as she stood. She circled her chair, still facing him. "Can we go somewhere? I wanna talk to you for a sec."

Luke still held his pen, ready to write. "About what? I'm working."

"Yeah, about what? We're doing breakfast here, Mom," Rory interjected.

Lorelai snapped her fingers toward her daughter. "Hey, Hooked on Phonics, back to the sausage scriptures."

"My inspiration. My light. My guiding star, everybody," Rory muttered with a shake of her head. She returned attention back to the menu. "Just make it snappy. Remember, lots of mothers would like to have breakfast with the likes of me. I've got options, Lady."

Lorelai smiled. "I know, babe. I'll try to be better for you." Rory nodded with satisfaction, then followed it with a smile as she stayed looking at her menu. Lorelai leaned on the back of her chair and took her attention back to Luke. "So, what's it going to be? May I borrow a minute of your time, Danes?"

Luke looked around briefly and noticed that everyone seemed to be settled and happy for the time being. "Sure." He put both pen and notepad in one hand and stuffed them in his back pocket.

"Thanks."

He turned and led the way to the storage closet. In front of the door, he held his arm out, allowing her to enter first. Lorelai's hands had gone inside of her back pockets. She met his eyes as she passed him. She didn't go in the direction that was invited. She, instead, passed by him and the door completely and put a foot on the bottom step. The beginning part of the stairwell that led to his apartment.

She waited for Luke to turn to her. With one hand extracted from her pocket, she pointed up the staircase. "You coming?"

He turned and followed her up without question.

Lorelai opened the door and entered his apartment without making sure it was okay to do so. Luke just shook his head at that. He secured the door behind himself.

"Okay. What's this about?"

"What, no formalities?" Lorelai stood in the middle of the floor with her arms now folded.

"What kind of formalities am I supposed to have? I'm in the middle of my breakfast crowd, Lorelai. What do you want?" He didn't sound angry. Just impatient. He had walked a few steps from the door and stood with his hands in his front pockets. Lorelai was several feet away.

She let out a small breath and allowed her arms to fall from across her chest. "Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you for a minute." She held up her hands in a gesture of defense. "But if this is such an inconvenience, then we can nip it." She played hurt to cover bruised emotions that actually did spring up. She walked past him on her way to the door. "Come on, Diner Owner. Come serve your customer. Can you handle _that_?" she asked smartly.

Her eyes were low as she moved by him. He followed the tops of her eyes until she had passed and the last "playful" word exited her mouth. Without turning, his hand swung back and landed on her wrist.

"Don't even think about it," he said lightheartedly, using a soft tone that showed his apology.

His body movement was nearly playful, and he looked like he was pulling her harder than he actually was to get her back in front of him. Lorelai took backward steps and came back.

He let her go. In front of him--a little over one feet away, she looked up at him. He spoke first.

"When did you become so sensitive?" he asked. He smiled. "You know I'm grumpy. This is who I am, dammit."

"I just wanted to talk to you," she stated calmly with no smile.

His shoulders lifted. "Sorry. Let's talk."

"Well, do you _mind_? I don't want to hold you here against your will."

"You're not," he said coolly. "What do you want to talk about? I'm all ears."

Her eyes went down to his chest for a moment. "How'd things go with Ava last night?"

She had not had an opportunity to talk to him the night before. In fact, after he and Ava finished dinner, they spent a long time in the dining room just talking. Lorelai ended up leaving for home before she had a chance to find out how that night was going to end for them. It seemed that Luke was warming up to Ava. To the idea of Ava. He sure didn't seem like a guy who wanted to be done with someone. In a way, Lorelai wished that he had just been into Ava from the beginning. At least that way she'd know up front what she had to deal with.

Luke focused on her question.

"It went okay. She's really a decent woman. Nothing like I thought she'd be."

Lorelai looked down and shifted her feet in such an obvious discomfort that Luke had to smile. "Oh. I'm glad for you. Are you two going to date now?" she asked looking back at him.

He still held his smile. "You can teach a class on jumping to conclusions, you know that?"

She shrugged a little, in all honesty not paying that much attention to his comment. "Sure," she said. "Are you and Ava going to date?" she asked again. She looked so completely humorless.

Luke sighed. "Why would you think that?" he asked.

"You guys looked comfortable last night--like you were having a good time. How much of a good time did you have?"

He looked at her for a moment. "Is this just because she has a kid at Rory's school?"

"What?"

"Your worlds. Your worlds are about to collide or something," he intuited. "Is that the problem?"

Her face scrunched. She didn't take time to think of anything. "What worlds? What are you talking about?"

He gave her a wide-eyed look. She's the one that had broken the whole stupid thing down to him. "Your Stars Hollow world and your Hartford world, Lorelai. All that stuff you said. You don't rememb--"

It clicked. "Oh, yeah," she recalled. She dropped her gaze. "Yeah."

He stared at the top of her head. "You forgot."

"No."

Pause. "That wasn't a question."

She looked up at him. Blue eyes stared into blue eyes.

"Are you going to date Ava?" Lorelai asked, determined to get an answer.

"Lorelai, I've told you a hundred times, no. I don't like her like that."

"You didn't change your mind?"

"No. Why is this that big a deal to you?"

"Because I don't want you to date Ava," she answered, no hesitation.

He seemed satisfied with that answer. And even more comfortable with her confidence in answering the question. "Okay," he said peaceably.

She wasn't done. "I don't want you dating her, checking her out, or doing anything that involves touching in any way."

Luke and Lorelai had a platonic relationship that qualified only in the vaguest sense. It wasn't just strange the way they acted and reacted to different situations. It was downright laughable and disturbing. Their relationship was held together by spit and prayer. It was a house of cards built on a mini fault line.

Luke had already told Lorelai that nothing had happened and was _going _to happen with Ava. In fact, he had been up front with Ava, and she seemed okay with remaining friends. However, none of that mattered as he listened to Lorelai rattle off instructions of what she didn't want him doing like she owned him. That pissed him off with a quickness.

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do, Lorelai!"

"I didn't tell you what you can and can't do. I told you what I didn't _want _you doing," she specified.

"You can't tell me that either! You don't hear me rattling off a list for you. And you know why? Because you're grown; you can do whatever the hell you want, just like me."

"_Rattle_ off a list, I don't care!" she exclaimed.

If she wanted a dose, he figured he'd serve her up a big heaping spoonful.

"Fine!" He counted off on his fingers, saying the first thing that popped into his head, trying to make her just as offended as he was. "I don't want you dating...hell, _anyone_! I don't want you touching _anyone_! I don't want to see you with _any-damn-body_!"

She shrugged, spoke in a normal voice. "Fine."

Luke breathed hard, coming down from his upset. His chest heaved, and he looked at her unblinking, so confused. He definitely wasn't expecting that particular reaction from her.

"What?" he asked with bite.

"I said 'fine'," she repeated.

There was a pause as Luke carefully fitted some pieces together. "Did you hear what I said?" he asked, now curious.

"Yes," she replied.

There was another pause, then Luke snapped. "What the hell does that _mean_?!"

She rolled her eyes. "Stop yelling at me, please."

"I'm not yelling!" he yelled. He took a heavy breath. "I'm not yelling," he said in a more normal tone.

She smiled a little, dropping her head as she knew that Luke wouldn't appreciate that smile in that moment. "Sorry," she muttered before he could say anything about it.

Again, he sighed. "Can you tell me what just happened?" he asked.

Her head stayed down. "Luke, you're a private person. I don't know how many dates you go on under the radar."

"Lorel--"

"But I want you to stop," she said bluntly. She met his eyes. Her eyes turned about 3 shades of blue in under five seconds. "I want you to kick them all to the curb. I'm sorry, but I do. It bothers me. The thought of you being with....pretty much anybody bothers me in a way that just isn't normal. It makes me crazy. And _I'm not crazy_."

"Lorelai."

"I dealt with Rachel. Rachel was from your past, and..." She shook her head. "...I made my peace with Rachel. You don't know how hard it was, but I was able to do that. But these new people coming in--these _women_-- they're just..." She squeezed her eyes tight, "...getting in my head. And I can't take this."

His voice was so soft now. "Okay," he said, hoping she'd calm down a little.

She went on. "And don't shave, Luke. Not for a woman. That's not you, so don't do that to impress some stupid woman." She made a sound like her breath had been taken. "You look incredible, by the way. Facial hairless Luke works. Really works." Luke took a step toward her. She smiled a little and didn't slow her talking. "But the hair works too. Either one works. Just as long as you're not trying to do it for someone else, then it's okay. You get what I'm saying?"

"I think so."

He'd stopped after that one step.

"Good," she ended with a deep breath. She stopped talking long enough to take in his position. "Why did you stop walking?" she asked.

"What?"

"Over here. You were walking over here then you stopped." She took a small step, then another. She came nose to nose with him. "I don't know how clear I was, but this is where you realize that all my rambling boiled down to me saying that this..." She got closer, "...is okay. Keep walking."

"Really?" Luke wrapped his fingers around her sides and squeezed her small waist tenderly. "How much closer am I allowed to get?"

She smiled. "I just got goosebumps," she whispered, her mouth inching closer to his. Her hands went from the front of his flannel to around his neck. Her lips touched his, and she pulled back some. "Wait."

She didn't pull anything back but her face, so Luke took that as a sign that there were no problems. She just wanted to do what she did best. Talk.

"What's wrong?" he whispered, his breathing so sensual. He couldn't get past the feeling of having Lorelai wrapped in his embrace. His arms were now around her waist.

"Um...just to be clear, when you said you didn't want me being with _'anyone'_, you weren't including yourself in that, were you?"

Luke's lips went to her neck. Lorelai's chin raised, and a moan came from her mouth as she felt his tongue on her skin. She gripped the back of his neck, as the feeling was almost too much to bear. "Luke," she whispered. He started to suck. Too lightly to leave a mark, but hard enough to have her knees relaxing. "Okay. Uh...I think you're making a really good point!" She felt so powerless at the feeling. They hadn't even shared a kiss yet, and Luke had already catapulted them to the making out stage.

Lorelai took that as all the answer she needed to her question. When Luke lifted his mouth to switch sides on her neck, she leaned back and met his lips with hers. It was an instant deepness. Luke's tongue had been all over her neck. He'd caused her mind to entertain thoughts of birth control as he showcased his skill level on that part of her body. The moment lips met, they were opening up and tasting like it was a hunger that just couldn't be satisfied.

Throughout days, their mutual stares would confuse townies. It would confuse _them_. That confusion melted away in that kiss. All became clear. The stumbling over words, the pausing, double and intended meanings found peace as Lorelai's soft tongue rolled over Luke's.

The kiss slowed. Got deep and meaningful. They both appeared scared to break away. Breaths got heavy. Breaths got desperate. Breaths got beat out by moans. Lorelai moaned like he was hitting her g-spot with his tongue in her mouth. Long, opened-mouthed pauses, leading to more passionate kisses told them both to step the hell away.

It was about to get serious.

Each of them took their hands back. Used their feet to move back. They both needed a moment to calm down.

Lorelai whispered words that Luke couldn't hear as her head hung to the floor. A shaky hand traced her lips.

"Um...you're pretty damn good at that," Luke said.

She raised her head, and put that shaky hand in her hair, her thoughts taking her back to Luke's hands on her body. "Thanks. You're uh not too bad yourself."

He smiled. She did too.

Luke licked his lips, and Lorelai stared across the floor at those soft mounds. When he started to speak, her attention went to his eyes.

Their breathing was making up for all the neglect.

"I probably should get back down to the diner."

"Okay." She nodded. "Thanks for the...reciprocated feelings."

He chuckled. "Same here." Lorelai bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes on the floor. Luke broke her of her thoughts. "Hey, would you uh...like to go out with me? Real date?" he asked, causing a smile to break out across her face.

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. Definitely. I'd love to take you out."

"Then, I'd love to go out with you. Definitely."

"Tonight?"

"Ooh soon."

"Five years is long enough, I'd say."

She blushed. "Tonight is it, Luke."

Luke smiled. "Good."

Lorelai took a small breath and approached him. "Easy now," she half-whispered as they touched hands and brought their bodies together. Eyes dropped down to the others' lips. "Nice and easy," Lorelai said again. They smiled and kissed softly. That soft kiss led to another. They held their lips together for several seconds and pulled away with the quietest sound of disengagement. Neither opened their eyes as a gentle brushing of their noses led them to bring lips together again. Lorelai shifted, getting even closer to Luke. Her hands inched up his chest to wrap around his neck again.

"Okay, I think it's time we went back in the public eye," Luke said quietly.

Lorelai smiled. She stilled her hands, then rubbed back down his chest. With a kiss to his cheek, she stepped back. "Okay." He swallowed. "And...this was better, Luke. Instead of being in a dusty storage room closet like two trampy adults with no control, wasn't this better?"

"What?"

"Having our first kiss in your apartment. This was way better."

He frowned. "What, you planned this?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. But it was pretty freaking inevitable. I can't speak for you, but--"

"I'm pretty sure you can," he interrupted with certainty.

She smiled and went on. "--but I started feeling like any time I spent alone with you could lead to this."

He smiled. "And did you want to feel that?" he asked.

Lorelai regarded him. "Who asked who up here?" she asked simply.

"Good point." He put his hand in the small of her back and led her toward the door. With another casual lick to his lips, he said, "Cherry lip gloss. Hm. Really tastes like cherries."

She opened the door. "Figured you'd like that."

Luke rolled his eyes. "You so planned this."

She chuckled with a shake of her head. "You can't plan this kind of stuff, babe. But even if I did plan it, are you complaining?"

He followed her over the threshold. "_Hell _no." He shut the door, closing off Lorelai's laughter.

--

They made it downstairs, and Luke walked in one direction behind the counter, and Lorelai walked in the other over to her and Rory's table.

She pulled her chair out and sat.

Rory was now reading a novel. She closed the book and brought her attention to her mom who sat across from her.

"Hey. You were gone a long time," she mentioned casually.

Lorelai pulled lip gloss from her purse. "Yeah, sorry about that, Hon." Her lips moved under the applicator as she reapplied.

Rory studied her. "Hm. As I recall, you were pretty caked up when you went upstairs. What happened to all that shine?" she asked with suspicion.

Lorelai finished the process and rubbed her lips together smoothly. She stuffed the gloss back in her bag and sighed. "Made out with Luke, and it all went bye-bye," she revealed with nonchalance. She looked at Rory's very wide eyes, which questioned her level of seriousness. "Have you decided what you want to eat yet, Sweets?"

Rory's arms went to the table as she leaned forward. "Mom, is this one of your little jokes? One that's supposed to have a better reaction than this?"

"First of all, my jokes are _so_ not little. They're huge. And funny, darn it. People laugh when I get to...crankin' em out. And you're not laughing so...?"

"You're serious," Rory stated.

"Very." She smiled, and her eyebrows went high in delight. "I think I'm going to get pancakes and bacon strips. Yummy."

"How did you end up kissing Luke?" Rory asked with shock. Her voice was low.

"Ooh and hashbrowns. I'm really hungry today for some reason."

"Mom!"

Lorelai leaned forward too, but as soon as she did, Luke approached the table. Both pair of Gilmore eyes went up to him.

"Hey," he said tiredly, pulling his pen and pad back out. "Ready to order?" he asked them both.

Nobody said anything, and he looked up from his pad and into one face that showed shock and another one that smiled with memories.

"Uh, did I walk over in the middle of something?" he asked uncomfortably.

Lorelai glanced at Rory. "Uuuhh no. We're good. And ready to order. Aren't we, Hon?" she asked Rory.

Rory nodded and arranged her menu on the table. Luke appeared doubtful that all was well, but he pushed it aside and asked, "Okay, what can I get ya?"

Though Lorelai had an idea of what she wanted to eat, she leaned toward him on her elbows and said, "I dunno. What's good here?"

Rory groaned and closed her eyes tight. "Please don't say _'me'_. Please don't say _'me'_. Please don't say _'me'_," she repeated over and over to herself. Upon opening her eyes, she found Luke and her mom looking at her strangely. At that, she made the choice to say what was on her mind. She turned to Luke and waved him closer so that her voice wouldn't drift over to another table.

"Are you going to get gross?" she asked him.

His eyes shifted. "Uuuhhh...?"

"Because," Rory continued, "I know _she _is." She jabbed an accusatory finger in her mom's direction.

"Hey!" Lorelai exclaimed in offense.

Rory went on speaking to Luke. "Whatever is going to happen with you two, whatever has already happened...just promise me that you'll remain _you_. Can you do that? Don't get all lovey-dovey and gross, okay? Be good to each other. Be good to my mom, but just...don't change, Luke. Just be you. Please."

Luke flushed with embarrassment. "Uh--o-okay. Listen, let me give you two a few more minutes to decide. Be back." He turned on his heel fast and walked away.

Lorelai looked flabbergasted but she still chuckled. "What was that?" she asked her daughter.

Rory sighed. "You're not going to taint Luke, Mom. I refuse to let that happen."

"Taint him how?"

"By turning him into one of your little lovesick flunkies. He's my Luke too." Lorelai smiled at her adamant words, but Rory went on. "It's great that you two have finally figured it out and everything. Hoorah and all that jazz. But he's my Luke too. I have zero desire to see him getting gross because of you. He's not just some guy."

"I know that," Lorelai replied, her voice more serious than the smile that sat on her lips.

"He's Luke. I don't wanna see you and Luke getting gross every time I turn around."

"Okay, Honey. You've made your point," Lorelai responded gently.

"Good."

Lorelai bit her lip. "But this is okay with you?"

Rory took a deep breath, calming down. Her thoughts still glided. "It's okay with me," she answered after a little consideration.

"Thank God."

Luke came back over with the coffee pot, now feeling silly for his quick escape a few minutes prior. "Two coffees," he said, setting two mugs on the table and pouring.

"Thanks, Luke," Rory said while staring at her mother.

"Yes, thank you, Luke. You are a very professional proprietor of this business I frequent. I respect that," she followed formally.

"O--kay," Luke said questioningly. He took both their orders and grabbed their menus. "It'll be about five minutes, okay?"

"Okay," they said together.

He turned and left. Lorelai's eyes turned in his direction, and her gaze was intentional and at eye-level until he rounded the counter. She turned back and brought her mug to her lips casually. When her eyes drifted up to Rory, she saw her with a look of admonishment painted across her adorable face.

"What?" Lorelai asked with a sudden grin. "You said nothing about butt watching!" Rory's look grew more defined. "Oh my g--I can't even watch his butt?! Rory!" she complained, all while leaned in, her whispered voice raised to its limit.

Rory didn't say anything. She just kept giving her looks, her eyes growing more and more narrow.

Lorelai dropped her eyes and grinned into her coffee cup. "Meanie. You are such a Luke blocker."

Rory smiled a little at the size of the smile covering Lorelai's face. She drank a sip of her own coffee. "It's good to see you so happy, Mom," she said quietly.

Lorelai met her eyes. "And it's good to see you so okay with all of this, Rory."

Rory shrugged. "It's Luke. Of course I'd be okay with it."

"Such good news." Rory nodded then looked at her mom in question as she saw her look around then lean forward. "Just out of curiosity, where do we stand on kiss details?"

Rory sighed and opened her book again. "We stand nowhere near it," she responded casually.

Lorelai smiled. "Save it for Sookie?" she asked, leaning back up.

"Superb idea."

Lorelai looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "I really want to share the…non-dirty parts with you too, though," she said with sincerity.

Rory looked up, giving her mom an endearing look. Her inherited blue eyes sparkled in the morning light. "Aw," she gushed with a gentle smile. The smile slid from her face and she dropped her head back into her book in the next second. "After my food digests," she said flatly.

Lorelai laughed and reached across the table to touch her hand. "We've got a date."

**-The End-**

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